Automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus.



W. W. WALKER. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2, I9.Is.

Patented June 6,v 1916. 1 F J gov I 20 k 3 nvemioz may... wzm. WQ

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. WALKER, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MACANDREWS & FORBES COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHING I APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed September 2, 1915. Serial No. 48,591.

. occur in a tank of oil, gasolene or otherinflammable substances.

The apparatus preferably operates with two liquids or solutions which, when brought together, operate to generate a foam and a gas which is noxious to fire, and which is discharged onto the surface of the burning oil. The gas is preferably carbon dioxid gas which has the well known property of not supporting combustion.

A principal object of the invention is to produce apparatus of this kind which will in operation avoid as much as possible excess velocity of the foam when being delivered onto the surface of the oil.

Another object of the invention is to'pro duce a very simple apparatus for permanently holding the two liquids near the point at which the foam and gas are to be delivered. and for automatically causing a flow of the liquids to the delivery point if a fire should break out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of mixing head or chamber especially designed for attachment to oil tanks, and wherein two separate liquids are mixed.to produce a foam, the said mixing head or chamber being provided with a lateral outlet or delivery opening constructed to deliver the foam into the tank and onto the burning oil to smother the flame.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists in the general combination of parts and details, hereinafter described, all of which contribute to produce an eflicient automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus.

A referred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification,

while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure l is a plan upon a greatly reduced scale, illustrating a tank filled with gasolene or other inflammable substance, and equipped with my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken about on line 33 at the side of the tank upon an enlarged scale, certain parts being broken away. Fig. i is a vertical section showing further details. This view illustrates details of the charging apparatus.

' The gasolene or other inflammable substance is supposed to be held in the tank 5. Near this tank, and preferably below the frost line in the ground, I bury two reservoirs 6 and 7 for different substances which will operate upon mixture together to generate a foam and a gas noxious to combustion such as carbon dioxid. These reservoirs 6 and 7 are only partly filled with their corresponding liquids so that the liquid level may be at about the line 8,,in Fig. 2. In this way an air chamber 9 is formed above the liquid level in each reservoir. Each tank has an upwardly extending charging and filling pipe 11 closed by a suitable screw head 10, see Fig. 4, and carrying a valve '11 of the type carried in bicycle tires. Above the valve is a screw cap 10 screwed onto a threaded inflating nipple at which an ordinary foot pump may be attached for charging the tanks with compressed air. One or both of these pipes 11 may be so provided. The air chambers of the tanks may be connected by an equalizer pipe 6*. When the liquid is to be placed in the tanks. the screw heads 10 may be removed. Of course, the compressed air exerts pressure upon the level of each liquid so that it could raise the liquid to an elevated point such as that occupied by the mixing head 12 near the upper edge of the tank 5 at which point the foam and gas are to be delivered. 'This head is connected with the reservoirs in any suitable manner so that the liquids can flow automatically toward the head upon the development of a fire over the tank 5 or any other point similarly equipped where a fire may occur. In order to accomplish this effect, in the present embodiment I connect the reservoirs 6 and 7 with a double valve case 13 which is pref erably below the frost line, and I provide 2 two pipes ll which extend upwardly from the upper side of the case, the admission of the liquid to each of the two pipes 11 being controlled by the valves 15 in the valve case. The inner wall of the head 12 is preferably curved to conform to the shape of the side of the. tank. and it is formed with side flanges 12 which afford means for attaching the head to the side of the tank.

T he valves 15 are preferably attached on the lower ends of stems 16 which extend upwardly through the head 12 to a point above the head, where they pass through a neck 17 formed on the upper end of the. head and through the cap plate 18 which forms the end of this neck. Suitable means is provided tending to hold the valves 15 on their seats. This is preferably in the form of two coil springs 19 which are disposed around the projecting ends of the stems 16 and press up against collars 20 carried on the ends of the stems.

I prefer to provide automatic means for actuating the stems 16 to open the valves 15.

This is preferably accomplished in a very simple way by means of a member normally held in check such as weight 21.. the upper portion of which forms a case inclosing the projecting ends of the stems. said case tting over the tubular neck 17. This weight is normally held suspended in an elevated position by means of a cable or chain 22 guided around guide pulleys 23 and 24: on a suitable bracket 25 secured to the edge of the tank. This chain is preferably stretched above the upper surface of thegasolene in the tank and is provided with one or more fusible members 26. \Vith this arrangement, if a fire should occur in the tank.

one or more of the fusible members 26 are melted away by the flames at some point between theanchorage 27 of the cable and the bracket 25. This permits the weight 21. to descend and this forces down the stems 16, compressing springs 19 and opening the valves 15. This permits an upward flow of thetwo liquids from the tanks 6 and? which mix on the way up to the delivery point. 1n thqpresent embodiment of the invention, the mixture takes place in the head 12.

As the gas and the foam form rapidly. it is desirable to provide for expansion at the point of mixture and for this purpose I prefer to form the head 12 so that its internal dimensions increase in an upward direction from the point of inlet. that is its walls diverge in an upward direction, so that theupper part'of the head is of increasing horizontal cross section. For this reason I prefer to adopt the form of head shown in Fig. 3. The gas and foam flow outwardly through the lateral mouth or snout 28 of the head which projects over the edge of the tank. In this way the gas and foam are delivered on the side and at the level of the head.

lVith an apparatus such, as described, in case of fire, the entire upper surface of the liquid in the tank 5 can be covered with a blanket of foam, the bubbles of which are filled with a gas noxious to combustion. such for instance, as carbonic acid gas. Any suitable liquids may be employed in the tanks 6 and 7. I prefer. however. to employ two solutions having substantially the following composition:

Solufion .Yo. J.

Sodium bicarbonate Hparts \Vater 8!) Foamite (secondary extract of licorice root) 3 Solution No. 2.

Aluminum sulfate llparts ater M 89 It seems that the effecting of a mixture of these two solutions. after being under air pressure. is particularly advantageous as the presence of the compressed air absorbed by the liquids apparently tends to increa e the formation of the carbonic acid gas. The mixing chamber operates as an expansion chamber in which the liquids mix and expand into foam and from which the foam flows without substantial. pressure. The connection 6 between the two tanks is high enough up to prevent any possibility of liquid flowing into the other tank when either of the tanks is being filled.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention set forth herein is only one of the many embodiments or forms the invention may take. and I do not wish to be limited in the practice 'of the invention nor in my claims to the particular embodiment set forth. And I may use any feature of my invention without the other features.

What I claim is:

1. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus. in combination, two reservoirs partly filled with liquids operating when mixed together to produce foam and a gas noxious to fire, each of said reservoirs having an air chamber for compressed air above the level of the liquid therein, an elevated head from which the foam and gas are to be delivered connected with said reservoirs, means for normally preventing the flow of said liquids toward said head, and means for automatically controlling said last named means to cause a flow of the liquids toward said head. including a fusible member disposed adjacent the point where the fire may occur.

2. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus. in

combination, two reservoirs buried in the ground below the frost line, partly filled with liquids operating when mixed together to produce a foam and a gas noxious to fire,

means for exerting air pressure upon the liquids in said reservoirs, an elevated head from which the foam and gas are to be delivered, pipe connections leading from said reservoirs toward said head, valves in said pipe connections below the frost line, and automatic means for opening said valves including a fusible member disposed adjacent to the point where the fire may occur.

3. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, two reservoirs buried in the ground below the frost line, partly filled with liquids operating when mixed together to produce foam and a gas noxious to fire, each of said reservoirs having an air chamher for compressed air above the liquid therein, having a charging connection leading from a point accessible atthe ground level, an elevated head from which the foam and gas are to be delivered, pipes connect ing said reservoirs respectively with said head, valves in said pipes below the frost line, valve stems extending downwardly through said pipes, resilient means normally holding said valves closed, a member tending to move and thereby operate said stems to open the valves, and means for holding said member in check, including a fusible member disposed adjacent the point where the fire may occur.

4. A fire extinguishing apparatus, to be used with a mixture of liquids generating foam and gas to extinguish tank fires. comprising the combination of a mixing head for mixing the said liquids, means for supporting said mixing head at an elevation at the side of the tank, and separate pipes connected to the head for admitting the different liquids to the lower portion of the head, said head having an elevated laterally disposed delivery mouth to deliver the foam and gas at the side and at the upper level of the tank.

5. A fire-extinguishingv apparatus, to be used with a liquid mixture generating foam and gas, comprising, a mixing head for mixing the said liquids, separate pipes connected to the head for admitting the different liquids at the lower portion of the head, said head having an elevated laterally disposed delivery mouth, said head having an enlarged horizontal cross-section in its upper part to allow for the expansion of the foam.

6. A fire-extinguishing apparatus, wherein two difierent liquids are employed to pro duce a foam for extinguishing fires, embodying'a mixing head or chamber having means for attaching the same to an oil tank, said head or chamber having an inlet and having gradually increasing internal dimensions from said inlet toward its upper end and-having a laterally disposed outlet at its upper end.

7. A fire-extinguishing apparatus, for use in connection with oil tanks, and wherein two different fire-extinguishing liquids produce a foam when brought together, comprising the combination of a mixing head or chamber having means for attaching the same at an elevated point to an oil tank, means for introducing separate foam-producing liquids into the lower end of 'said head or chamber, and a laterally disposed delivery-mouth at the upper end of said head or chamber for discharging a foam.

8. In an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus of the class described, and in combination, an oil storage tank, a mixing head or chamber having means for attaching the same to said tank in an elevated position, means for introducing into the lower end of said head or chamber separate liquids which when brought together produce a foam, a laterally disposed delivery-mouth in the head or chamber arranged to deliver the foam into the tank, and means operable automatically upon the presence of a fire in the oil tank for operating thesaid introducing means to deliver the foam-producing liquids into the said mixing head or chamber.

9. In a fire extinguishing apparatus for two reservoirs for two separate liquids, operating when mixed together to produce a foam and a gas noxious to combustion, pipes leading upwardly at the side of the tank to conduct the liquids to an elevated point, a mixing head supported in an elevated position at the side of the tank and connected at its lower end with said pipes, said head having a laterally disposed delivery mouth for delivering the foam onto the surface of the oil in the tank, a valve connected with each of said pipes, a valve stem passing downwardly through each of said pipes for operating the valve of that pipe, and automatic means for actuating said valve stems to open the valves when a fire occurs in the tank.

10. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus for extinguishing tank fires, the combination of two reservoirs for two separate liquids, operating when mixed together to produce a foam and a gas noxious to combustion, pipes leading upwardly at the side of the tank to conduct the liquids to an elevated point, a mixing head supported in an elevated position at the side of the tank and connected at its lower end with said pipes, said head having a laterally disposed delivery mouth for delivering the foam onto the surface of the oil in the tank, a valve connected with each of said pipes, a valve stem passing downwardly through each of said pipes for operating the valve of that pipe, means tending to hold said valve closed, a weight tending to actuate said stems to open said valve, and means for releasing said weight automati cally when a fire occurs at the tank.

11. In a fire extinguishing apparatus for extinguishing tank fires, the combination. of

extinguishing tank fires, the combination of two reservoirs for two separate liquids. operating when mixed together to produce a foam and a gas noxious to con'lhustion. pipes leading upwardly at the side of the tank to conduct the liquids to an elevated point, a mixing head supported in an elevated position on the side of the tank and connected at its lower end with said pipes. said head having a laterally disposed delivery mouth for delivering the foam onto the surface of the oil in the tank. valves (ronnecttal respectively with said pipes for admitting the liquids to the said mixing); head. and automatic means i'orhpening said valves when fire occurs in said tank.

12. A mixing head for use with fire extinguishing, apparatus to extinguish tires in oil tanks. having means for attaching the same at the side of the tank in an elevated position, said head having a laterally projeeting delivery mouth adjacent the upper end of the mixing head. said head having a cross sectional area enlarging from the lower end thereof. upwardly toward said delivery mouth. and' having means for admitting liquids to the lower end of said head whereby the said liquids may generate a foam within said head. the upwardly enlaigine cross section of said head operating to acconnnodate the expansion of the foam as it moves upwardly toward said mouth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing \vitnesses. v

\VILLIAM \Y. WALKER.

\Vitnesses ear Joan-m,

Josicru A. Bicnoaiimx. 

